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Rugani: "Derby debut a great feeling"

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Rugani: "Derby debut a great feeling"
Rugani: "Derby debut a great feeling"
Rugani: "Derby debut a great feeling"

A convincing win against inter-city rivals Torino, a clean sheet and qualification to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals: Daniele Rugani’s first 90 minutes run-out in the black and white jersey went extremely well, to say the least.

Combine that with a personal display, in which he won the ball back for his team on a match-high eight occasions without committing a single foul, and the 21-year-old talent was understandably in high spirits during his interview today with JTv after this morning’s warm-down session in Vinovo.

From making his full Bianconeri debut, his maiden months under manager Massimiliano Allegri and his objectives for the remainder of the campaign, there was no shortage of talking points, all laid out here topic by topic:

WEDNESDAY'S DERBY WIN

“We played very well yesterday and we had the right approach to the match. It was important to show just how hungry and determined we are to win every game we’re involved in.

“It was a great feeling to line up from the very start. My team-mates and the manager helped me handle the situation well and so I’m grateful to them all. It was a derby, so by no means an easy encounter, but I’m happy with how it went.”

TRAINING WITH THE BBC

“I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by top pros on a daily basis and to be able to watch and learn from everything they do.

“They give me tips of both a technical and tactical nature, while they’ve also helped me on a psychological level to enter the field in the best mental state possible.

“I think that I’ve improved certain areas of my game since joining Juventus. I’m lucky to be training with very talented players across the whole squad. The manager and coaching staff are helping me develop in the best possible way.”

GRAN GALA DEL CALCIO

“It was a fantastic evening. To receive this kind of recognition (being selected in the top-flight’s best XI of the year) for my first season in Serie A was a proud moment and I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me.”

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WHAT SEPARATES JUVE FROM THE REST

"The winning mentality. When you’re inside this environment, you feel it all the more. In terms of professionalism and organisation, everything is just perfect here.”

FIGHTING ON ALL THREE FRONTS

“We’ve been playing to a very high level in the latter part of 2015. We’ve made up ground on the teams above us, but we can’t stop here, we need to keep picking up more points.

"Our recent run fills us with confidence that we can hit the ground running in the New Year and be challenging for the Scudetto in March.”

CARPI UP NEXT

“I predict a tough match. It’s normal for the opposition to be pumped up whenever they play us. We need to be patient, humble and show just as much hunger and determination to win as they will.”

BAYERN TEST

“It’s quite clearly a difficult draw. They’re a formidable outfit, but we enter the tie confident in our own abilities and I’m sure that they weren’t so pleased to be pitted against us. I’ve no doubt that we’ll be ready for the occasion, even more so than we are right now.”

SEASON OBJECTIVES

“I’d like to get as much game time under my belt as possible and become a player who the manager can count on whenever he needs me.

“Being a part of the Azzurri first-team next summer in France would definitely be a dream. It’s not easy because one needs to be playing regular football in order to stand a good chance of being selected.

"Right now I am fully focused on Juventus. I’ve time on my side and I hope I can do well here. Any future call-up to the national squad will be the result of what I achieve here with the Bianconeri.”

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